Firstly and foremostly I would describe myself as a self-educated woman. Everything I know about the world I learned through reading and travel (from home in Canada), and this continues to this day. I consider myself an expert in two areas - George Orwell and John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Further information about myself follows:

In 1989-90 I attended a social-work type college program where I came up against political correctness to such an extreme degree that I was instantly reminded of Orwell's 1984. This resulted in my creating Orwell Today in 2001. Anyway, in one of those infamous college classes the instructor assigned us to draw a picture encapsulating our individual essence, ie what makes us tick, and then stand in front of the class and explain it. He wanted us to focus on our positive attributes, not our negative. I believe that the picture I drew then, and which is on the wall in my office today, is a good description of me to this very day. Therefore, for readers who have emailed wanting to know more about Jackie Jura, the creator of Orwell Today, I'll describe the images and captions of my picture, going from left to right in a clockwise direction.

click on picture to enlarge

Firstly I drew a hummingbird sucking nectar from a flower; a baby bear climbing a tree; a deer drinking water; a dolphin swimming and an elephant walking. I captioned it: LOVE ANIMALS AND CARE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

Secondly I drew my face and head with a book covering everything except my ears and eyes. The left side of my head is lifting open and question marks are floating out of it toward spiral galaxies in the distance. I captioned it: OPEN MINDED, CURIOUS, FULL OF WONDER, QUESTIONING, WELL-READ, INFORMED

Thirdly I drew myself with a telephone receiver to my ear and captioned it: LIKE TO KEEP IN TOUCH

Fourthly I drew my house and front yard with my husband and two sons waving from the window. Smoke is puffing out the chimney. In the grass between the trees and flower beds sit my dog and cat. Above the carport there's a basketball hoop and in the driveway a bike, skateboard, football and soccer ball. I've captioned this: BLESSED AND AESTHETIC

Fifthly I drew a big round circle into which I placed a tree with branches leaning over a child holding its mother's hand and an old person leaning on a cane. I captioned this: "PRO-LIFE" RESPECT ALL STAGES OF LIFE

Sixthly I drew a couch, coffee table and two chairs, upon which sit my husband, myself and two friends, all holding drinking glasses. I captioned this: SOCIABLE

Seventhly I drew a globe showing the western hemisphere. I captioned this: WELL TRAVELLED

Eighthly I drew a treble cleff and notes on a musical scale. I captioned this: APPRECIATE CLASSIC ROCK & ROLL

That's all there was on my picture, which I've reduced and scanned for people to see.

I hope that answers peoples' main questions about myself. For more technical details I'll say that as I write this in December 2003 I am fifty-three years old and although I've worked in various fields such as secretarial, administration, education, sales and real estate, I am presently self-employed as a writer.

I derive most of my inspiration through reading history and biographies by and about great people like President John Fitzgerald Kennedy and other people I admire. From their example I derive strength. The driving force behind my motivation is best described by JFK:

"For, in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that
we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air.
We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal."
~ JFK, June 10, 1963

"With a good conscience our only sure reward,
with history the final judge of our deeds,
let us go forth to lead the land we love,
asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that
here on earth God's work must truly be our own."
~ JFK, January 20, 1961

"The definition of happiness is
the full use of your powers along lines of excellence."~ JFK, October 31, 1963